Pocketful of Sunshine
by yume girl 91
Summary: It was an act of prodigious misfortune that led Rukia into the path of the Arrancar. And it was that same streak of ill luck that it was the strongest of them all whom she fought... StarkxRukiaxUlquiorra
1. Hueco Mundo

~Pocketful of sunshine~

It was an act of prodigious misfortune that led Rukia into the path of the Arrancar. And it was that same streak of ill luck that it was the strongest of them all who she fought for freedom-_and her life_.

La Primera.

Damn.

Dragged into Las Noches by the scruff of her robes, her silent humiliation witnessed by a goodly amount of the Hollow denizens of the bleak world, she felt it could hardly get any worse.

Fat chance.

"What is…ah…" Aizen looked over the cup of _relaxation time_ tea, a newspaper from the day before at hand. "I was just about to get angry because…" he smiled benevolently at Rukia, "my daily paper wasn't here. But I see you brought something else, Stark?"

The Arrancar yawned open mouthed, then shoved Rukia forward, "I was going to, when this Shinigami showed up."

_Liar. _

_It was a boldfaced lie and they both knew it. _

_He was asleep in a tree in the world of the living, not buying a paper at the corner store._

"That's alright. A little distraction won't hurt," he leaned back into the confines of the white sofa, "watch over her, will you, Stark? Good." Aizen answered for him before the chestnut haired Arrancar had a chance to process what was being ordered of him.

"Now leave, you're both dismissed."

"Huh?" still a little slow on the uptake, droopy gray eyes blinked slowly. Aizen reached for his tea waving with the same hand, "shoo." Rukia though she hated to, glanced up at Stark, "I think he wants us to go."

"Oh. Okay." Instantly he pivoted on his sandaled feet, steering her out as well, only a softly spoken question from behind, deigned him to stay: "But _you _did bring my newspaper, distraction or not, didn't you, Stark?"

"Lilinette has it," he answered tonelessly.

~~~*~~~

AN: third rewrite but there you have it! Don't own Bleach. And yeah it's meant to have light moments when everyone isn't exactly in character. :) Reviews are appreciated.


	2. The Great Escape failed!

~Pocketful of sunshine~

The hall was white, the clothes were white and yes…even the doorknobs were WHITE! Rukia stared into the four white walls of the room she assumed was his, judging by the longing expression he cast toward the huge King-size bed full of fluffy white pillows.

"Sit down," he thrust her to the sole chair in the room beside the footboard. She glared, affronted at this rough treatment but found the effort wasted as he had his back to her, climbing onto the bed. "You were lying, I know you were," she couldn't resist throwing in his face.

Stark rolled up into a sitting position, a brown eyebrow crept up, "excuse me?" still in a lazy tone that so infuriated the little Kuchiki.

"To Aizen."

Realization tightened his mouth, "so?"

"So…" Rukia trailed off, making sure she had his attention, "…you'd better treat me nice. Otherwise—"

"Otherwise…" Stark shrugged, "what? What can you threaten me with, Shinigami?"

_He had her there._

Think quickly-think quickly.

Rukia opened her mouth to speak when the door flew open on its hinges to admit a small bright green-haired Arrancar female with a look of irritation on her face.

"Staaarrrrk!" this newcomer bellowed, prompting Rukia to clap her hands over her ears. Stark didn't look surprised, "hello, Lilinette. I just got back and was wondering where you had gone to."

The scowl disappeared and a sunny smile erupted, "Apache and Mila-Rose had a couple of fashion mags from S.S. Would you believe the height of couture is considered Gladiator sandals and pink scarves?" she shook her short bob of verdure locks in shame, "such a pity. I'd have expected…" in advancing further into the room, Lilinette's eyes happened to rest upon Rukia shrinking into the chair from sight.

"Who's _this_?" a peculiar note came into her shrill voice.

"Um—"

"Rukia Kuchiki," Rukia answered with as much hauteur as she could, given the situation. Stark settled into the pillows, "Rukia Kuchiki. She followed me—"

"I did NOT! You—"

"—Through the Garganta portal here. Lord Aizen wants me to look after her for a while, that means _no eating_!" the last part especially was directed to Lilinette who had been eyeing the Shinigami with an expression-uncomfortable to Rukia-like that of a culinary eater eyeing a prize roast.

"All right…spoilsports," Lilinette gave up with an audible sigh of anguish. Then as another thought occurred to her, she turned gleaming eyes to Rukia, "you're from S.S, right?"

_S.S? Does she mean…Soul society?_

"Uh…yeah," carefully she answered, hearing all the warning bells shoot off at the Arrancar's next words. "Their fashion sucks, right? I mean white rules obviously," Lilinette rolled her eyes skyward, daring Rukia to contradict her.

"Heh, heh, I guess it does…"

~~~*~~~

Half an hour later, Lilinette had left on the pretext of what Rukia had told her about the newspaper and the little fact of a minor fib when she added that _Stark meant for her to go and retrieve it for Aizen_. Getting rid of one obstacle had been achieved with some success…now for the other…

Stark lay on his side, not moving except for the occasional soft breath lifting his chest. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be deeply asleep. However Rukia didn't trust him. "Stark?" she tapped the nearest part of him she could reach, which was his leg and received no response.

Good.

Her eyes traveled up to air vent that only a few minutes before had been circulating air into the stuffy room. _How far did it go…and how narrow was the shaft? Could she fit through it?_ With these perplexing questions in mind, Rukia knew nothing came along without hard work; _ergo if she wanted to escape, she'd have to find away out herself and not wait for Soul society to discover her disappearance_.

_They probably would never guess she'd been taken to Hueco Mundo anyhow…_

_At least not for a while_…

The grate lifted off easily in her hands, her balance precarious on the seat of the chair, standing on tiptoe and straining to grasp the inner edge to lift herself up. A grunt of effort left her parted lips, another mumble of discontent following from the other occupant below. _Her heart nearly stopped_. Rukia glanced between the network of her arms to the great white bed and the large form slumbering there.

_Inert definitely and…lazy, now why did that word come to mind?_

_No matter_, Rukia shook her head to clear it; _the abnormal sleep patterns of enemies weren't her concern_. Getting back to S.S—I mean—Soul society was and also alerting them to the fact that the Hogyoku had obviously awakened much sooner then everyone had thought-the result being—oh forget it.

_She didn't have time for this!_

_She had to escape!_

Her mind back in proper channels, she gave a light push off from the chair at the same instant hoisting her petite form into the small gaping hole. Claustrophobia set in and her chest tightened. _Calm down, it's just dim…there's no reason to panic_, she steadied herself with calming thoughts. Faint light filtered in honeycomb vents further on illuminating albeit a narrow but straight passageway which she could crawl through on her hands and knees.

Which was what she did, ignoring of course the little annoying voice of her pride that declared that _an honorable Kuchiki would go down in the attempt of escaping_, not…as it teased…_sneaking above the heads of the traitorous ex Captain's army_.

_But then an honorable Kuchiki would still be dead and where's the point in that_? Rukia silently argued. The voice quieted down immensely after that for which she was relieved. Especially when a few turns and aching knees later, she peered through a certain funnel-shaped grate into the most welcome sight of all: _a large white hallway that looked familiar_.

In fact it was the very same corridor, Stark had brought her through, just now she was closer to the opposite end of it…

_Almost there!_

Angling herself back, her Gladiator sandals pressed hard against the metal grate for leverage, Rukia kicked repeatedly until she felt it give way and then she slid into the blessed, though _unnaturally_ lit hallway. Empty as far as she could see, which maybe meant that brief spell of bad luck had passed. Her only regret was that Sode no Shirayuki was going to be left behind. Some random Arrancar had taken it from her before Stark had dragged her to Aizen.

_Wherever they had placed her Zanpaku-to…she couldn't feel its presence anymore._

_Oh well_…she sighed, _when one was as unfortunate as she, one could very well not expect to have everything turn out the way one wanted…_

So reconciling her mourning with this somewhat optimistic train of thought, Rukia began looking around, trying to adjust her bearings for not far from here, she was almost positive, was the area where a dimensional portal to the other world could be made. It never did occur to her, just how she was going to accomplish this feat without her sword. Because up until that moment, not a single sound of others' occupation in the Palace had reached her ears and then…

A light footfall followed by a heavy plodding one.

Oh no…

They were coming up behind her.

Rukia spun around, a curve in the continuing hallway to freedom not letting her view the two creatures so dissimilar in appearance that she started and a nervous twitch asserted itself between her brows. The smaller was clothed almost the same as Stark, but that was where the similarities ended. Jet black hair, half a bone mask cupping one side of his paper white face with a single curved horn curling upward, eyes narrow and growing even narrower upon alighting on her until they were mere jade slits. Green lines flowed straight from beneath the piercing aforementioned orbs.

_He's…cute_…her thought escaped before she quickly stifled any girly inclination of _instant attraction_. The other, she was loath to even set eyes upon even for a mere cursory glance: _he was that ugly_!

"What're you doing here?" the green-eyed Arrancar asked sharply.

Taking immediate offense at his rude tone, Rukia crossed her arms over the worst of the dust on her Kimono, hoping they wouldn't notice. "I—" she began then faltered. _What could she say_? Green eyes glared as she had halted their progress to dinner, though she didn't know.

_Think girl. _

_THINK!_

_You were a Rukongai Cinderella before becoming a Kuchiki princess…NOW THINK!_

"S…" her expression hardened, "Stark sent me to find Lilinette."

"I already found her," came a familiar lazy drawl from-you guessed it-behind her the other way.

_Oh damn…_

~~~*~~~

AN: Pardon me if I misspell a name or two, I'm waiting for the English edition of the manga to see the correct spellings…since I don't trust certain dictionary websites…mutters. :) Anyway, reviews are appreciated.


	3. Guess who's coming to dinner?

Oh damn…

She turned around.

Big mistake.

He towered over her, as most did-though-most didn't wear the type of glowering scowl as him-exceptions may include _green eyes with the perma-emo-frown._

"Oh hello, Stark."

Idiot! Think up something better!

"Good. You found Lilinette."

Fool! Use your brain cells!!!

"I'm hungry. Let's go." _Actually I am_, she thought frowning. Luckily-or-unluckily Lilinette who didn't realize anything amiss from Rukia's banter, detached from Stark's arm and onto hers. Emoface narrowed his eyes at her, suspicious; in a way that Stark thankfully didn't seem to be.

"I'll take Ruki on ahead, okay, Starkie!"

_Ruki?_

_Was that…supposed to be a nickname?! Though…Starkie…was kind of cute. _

"Fine," Stark sounded bored.

~~~*~~~

It wasn't until the mismatched pair had disappeared further on down the hallway, that he muttered semi-confidentially to whoever happened to be listening, "I could swear that if I don't know better…I'd say she _wasn't_ lying."

"She was?" asked the third-yet-unnamed Arrancar.

"Of course. Yammy, you fool." answered Ulquiorra, then thoughtfully he mumbled, "her neck…so _frail_…"

"Whoa…did your hand just twitch?" Stark glanced at the pale white appendage encased in a long white sleeve.

"No." quickly Ulquiorra jammed both hands in his pockets and kept them there until they reached the main hall.

~~~*~~~

"Is _Shinigami_ the main course?"

Rukia heard someone exclaim upon Lilinette ushering her inside a large rectangular room where a dozen curious-add-freaky looking Arrancar stood around.

"Unfortunately no, Apache," replied a male in drag much to the disappointment of the aforementioned Apache. "Darn!" she sighed, as did others who had been eyeing her appreciatively.

So it was dinner time…but…

The door closed with a definitive bam, Lilinette backing away from her at the approach of two small girls who just looked like they could be twins.

What did…Arrancars eat?

"Loly." Said one.

"Huh?" Rukia's eyebrow rose at another-_she assumed_-ridiculous name; _Ichimaru probably had named them_.

"Her name is Loly. I'm Menoly." The other replied proudly.

"Right. I'll try to remember that." Rukia peered around them, spotting Lilinette trying to hide behind a pillar.

_Coward._

"I don't think you understand, Shinigami…" Loly leered into her face, Menoly right beside her. "This is _our_ Palace. If you want a place here…then you're going to hafta earn it!"

POW

Her head went back, her sight was blurry from the sudden fist barreling into her nose. Renji's voice came to her suddenly as if he was standing there in vision form, coaching, 'don't hit like a _girl_. Hit like a man!'

_Alright…here it goes._

Rukia pulled her fist back then sucker-punched Loly, ignoring the gasps of the other Arrancars. Menoly screamed in outrage until an upward shoved palm connected with _her_ nose and knocked her flat. "Anybody else want a piece of me?" Rukia rounded furiously on the rest of them, seeing their fearful looks, she tried not to wince when her hand felt like it was broken._ Man…just how hard was their skin?!_

A tiny giggle startled her.

Her eyes wide, she was soon grabbed by the-seeming unhurt-Arrancar duo. "You're alright!" Loly had her by one arm and Menoly the other. Lilinette crept closer relieved.

_What was going on?_

"Charlotte," the drag queen said by way of introducing himself.

"Uh…nice to meet you," Rukia said hesitantly, not liking the way they were all crowding around her.

Get me outta here…

Just then as if the Gods had heard her silent cry, the door opened and Stark-_a good as any knight in shining armor in white instead_-filled up the doorway.

"C'mon. You're eating with the Espada tonight."

~~~*~~~

AN: sleepy. Thank you and reviews are appreciated.

Note: this takes place right before the Arrancars first appeared in Karakura. Hence Orihime won't be mentioned as being a captive.


	4. Hollow Stew

It was a dubious honor.

She was let go reluctantly by the group of Arrancars with a chorus of _we'll miss you_, following her escape out the door with Stark. He shut it with a definite bang after Lilinette's cry of, "Staaarrrkkiiieeeee!"

Again with the nickname!

"Is-is she always like that?" Rukia asked wide-eyed.

He thought a moment before answering, "yeah."

The door thudded ominously as if someone had just thrown themselves upon it. "I hear you out there, Starkie!!" came from the other side.

"Uh—maybe we should get going?"

"I agree," he said, eyeing the door like it was going to suddenly come alive and _glomp_ him. Which was entirely what Lilinette wanted to do.

~~~*~~~

"Who is…who are we to dine with?" it was phrased as an innocent question but Rukia's motives were entirely selfish. _If she could just find out the strengths and names of Aizen's army_…

"Okay…there are ten of us present. Aizen won't join us neither director general Tosen or Ichimaru. Creep…" Stark muttered, never breaking his easy stride and most _importantly_ not seeming to realize her ulterior motives weren't based on idle curiosity. He continued, "don't talk to Barragan. He's been trying to supplant me for years and he's a crotchety old man besides. Halibel-eh," he shrugged noncommittally, "-she's pretty quiet. Doesn't say much beyond speaking with her three fraccion, Mila-rose, Sun-Sun and Apache. You probably saw them," he paused and she nodded; _so Halibel was the third Arrancar with three little helpers_. Just great. Soul society is doomed. Especially with Apache's horrid fashion sense! Ick!

"Is something the matter?" Stark peered into her face, she had stopped walking and had been standing in the hallway with her eyes closed, grimacing at the plethora of thoughts being primarily of…Apache and the SWA getting together. Ye Gods.

"Uh—" startled by his sudden proximity-height difference notwithstanding-Rukia twisted back and found herself falling. "Whoa easy there…" he had vanished and reappeared behind her, catching her by the shoulders and breaking her fall.

"Are you okay?" he was looking down into her face, his gray eyes looking straight into hers.

"Uh—um—yeah. Thanks I guess," the minute the words left her mouth, the voice that was her pride snarled at her. _You sound like a blabbering idiot_! _Stuttering just because his_—

'I did not!'

_--eyes are a lovely shade of gray before a storm. _

Rukia stepped away. "It's alright," he shrugged, finding himself a little surprised at being thanked at all. "Shall we go?" he asked when she made no move. "Yeah. Continue on with what you were saying before," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shyly glancing at him to see him scratching in-a-not-so-polite area.

She looked away quickly; _that was something she hadn't needed to see_.

"Ulquiorra is emo," he said flatly, "Nnoitra a perv, Grimmjow a psychotic…_kitty_."

_That's…six…? Wait…Kitty?!_

"Zommari is…another quiet creep, also Szayel is a mad scientist. So stay away from him unless you want to hear about dissecting Hollows throughout dinner." Seeing her vigorously shake her head, he was relieved; _she didn't have a morbid fetish_. Losing his train of thought briefly, Stark wondered a little at why he was so curious about aspects with her personality. It wasn't like him!

"Um…and Aaroniero usually looks like a fish tank normally, so don't stare, it's not _polite_."

Who was he to warn her about manners?

_Scratching at his *__bleep__* in front of a lady!_

And keep doing it!

"And just…Yammy. He's brainless but hangs around Ulquiorra a lot. I'm not sure why he puts up with him. Considering how many times he's called him _trash_, before. Oh! And _her_."

"Who's _her_?"

"Neliel Tu Oderschvank. She was formerly the Tercera Espada until Nnoitra and Szayel played a trick on her and reverted her back to a child-like form. Only recently she was brought back to Las Noches. Szayel managed to change her into her adult-form as reconciliation. They're kind of friends now but Nnoitra, she despises and the feeling's mutual. Unofficially she's a member of the Espada, but otherwise she sort of has to earn her way in again. She's the one who cooks for us."

_Interesting…as long as she wasn't another Orihime. _

_But still…what DID Hollows eat?_

~~~*~~~

All too soon they arrived at the door leading to dining hall B. Yawning, Stark looked down at her, "we should have gotten you changed before coming. Oh well…" he opened the door, letting her go in first as Lilinette had done. Instantly she regretted being allowed this courtesy.

"Hey, Nel Tu, is Shinigami on the menu tonight?" called an old man-Arrancar seated at the second chair on the left of the empty head. "She wasn't brought here to be eaten, Barragan." Answered the green-eyed from before. Barragan snarled into his water glass, "I don't remember asking _you_ anything, _Schiffer_. And I didn't hear you address me by _my proper rank_, now did I, _Cuatro_?"

What was it with them and eating HER?!

Stark ignored the rising tension, leaving her in the doorway for his chair. Rukia looked after him desperately, still feeling insecure in the room full of _hungry_ Hollows. "_I did_," green eyes lied calmly, "perhaps you just didn't hear me, _Segunda_."

The old man's jaw clenched and he looked about ready to demand the offender's head on a silver platter. "Settle down, Barragan and be quiet _like usual_ Ulquiorra. Oh…and sit down somewhere, Rukia." Stark ordered with somewhat less of a leader's attitude. Though it seemed to have the desired effect. Barragan kept his ill-tempered mutterings to himself, Ulquiorra stared and Rukia herself hastened to comply with her part of his order.

Except.

For one thing…

"You're welcome to sit on my lap," Stark commented, with her hesitation to leave the relative safety of the doorway.

Was he kidding?!Hell no!

She'd rather…sit over there!

Two seats were free, one between Ulquiorra and a wild teal-eyed dude with slicked back teal hair and a large piece of a jawbone on-well-his jaw. He kept smirking and stealing sips from the other's cup; _probably assuming he was getting away with it_._ Fool_. Across from them and twisting around to look at her was…a spoon. That was the first thing she associated with _him_.

Creeepie…

"No pressure. But. Hurry up, Rukia."

She longed to snarl _shut up_, but didn't know how it would go over with _La Primera_.

Only one other seat remained between a pink-haired guy towards the end and a pretty green-haired female who cast such a rare benevolent smile that Rukia was inclined to assume this was Neliel. She fairly flew over there, avoiding looking at the pair of males along with the perverted _spoon_ and the rejected seat.

"Hello, you must be Rukia. I'm Neliel, as I'm sure Stark told you."

"Uh huh."

"Oh dear…your nose—it's bleeding."

What!

Instantly her hand flew up and discovered indeed a steady stream trickling out courtesy of Loly's fist. "Here," Neliel halfway rose and offered a linen napkin from a pile near her elbow. The dude with the pink hair; offered her his gloved hand when her nose had been stemmed.

"Szayel Aporro-Grantz, my dear—?"

"Um—Ru—"

"Rukia Kuchiki," Stark answered for her.

She was near to snapping when the arrival of food carts pushed by small Arrancars entered soundlessly. Immediately they began setting out plates before the members of the Espada, which some of the politer ones-few at that-complimented Neliel on her cooking but more still whispered laments about the delectable Shinigami going to waste a few chairs down.

_Damn them._

Rukia glared as much as she could then turned her attention to the large white bowl of mildly steaming…soup? Stew? Given to her by a servant. The broth was a rich brown and thick like a pot of Nabe. Unidentifiable veggies floated near her spoon along with chunks of…_meat_?

Rukia picked up her spoon hesitantly, hearing the slurps of ruder occupants. Her eyes went up to meet Neliel's expectant gaze, a happy smile ready to shine forth. _She was scared_ _and ashamed of it_. _But_…_it didn't smell bad_, she thought, sniffing it critically. _In fact it…smelled rather good_.

Her gut grumbled faintly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since early morning in Seireitei.

"Try it," Neliel encouraged, "I do so hope you'll _like_ it."

Rukia smiled a little, then lifted a spoonful of the stew to her mouth, only, pausing once at the most _unattractive_ sound of a bone being crunched by the wide jaws of the huge Arrancar that had accompanied Ulquiorra earlier in the hallway incident.

Was that…

She watched him pick his teeth clear of bone fragments, Szayel grimacing at such poor table manners. Metal chinked against the ceramic bowl side, the spoon unearthing a tiny hooked claw that looked suspiciously _familiar_. The Arrancar looked excited at such a find, for he muttered something like, "que suerte!"

…_a piece of Hollow? _

"Um…Neliel…?"

"Yes?"

"Just _what_ is in this _stew_ that you made?"

The former Tercera brightened, "roasted Shrieker Hollow with a thick roux gravy surrounded by baby heartless of palms vegetables and russet potatoes from the world of the living."

One look at Szayel downing heartily and need it be said quite happily a mouthful of Hollow stew, had Rukia _nearly_ swooning. Another look up the table and seeing Stark eating lazily as well…well…

That and:

"Eat up." Her spoon had been taken from her and rested a quarter of an inch away from its destination, a tiny _bristly_/_hairy_ piece of brownish meat staring her in the face.

It was too much.

She fainted dead away.

~~~*~~~

AN: thank you and reviews are appreciated.


	5. Three to a bed

"Hellooooo in there!"

It's one thing to awaken and find yourself in a strange place but to open your eyes and discover a pocket flashlight in your face and a pink nightmare above you…

Wellll.

"GET AWAY FROM ME, HOLLOW!"

Okay. That meant over well in a roomful of them.

"Szayel, perhaps you should get your freaky mug out of her face," Stark suggested dryly. Neliel seconded it with a nod of shimmery green hair.

"But I'm a doctor!" the octava Espada whined. "It's possible she hit her head!"

"Really? I doubt that. And I thought you were a _Scientist_."

"I'm both."

"I don't think you can be both."

"You can too!"

Could they stop arguing and help her up from the floor? Idiots. Rukia picked herself up carefully seeing as no assistance was forthcoming, her initial nausea was fleeting and her head felt much clearer than before. "You should sit down," fretted Nel; Rukia waved away the hand that was extended to steady her.

"No…I'm fine. Just a little—"

"See? What'd I tell you," Stark said aloud, "_she's too hard-headed_ to get a head injury."

_How dare he—!_

Before she had known it, silence reigned and her fist had flown straight into the Primera's gut. _Now it definitely felt broken_. _Her wrist I mean_. Gray eyes looked down bemused.

'_You shouldn't have done that,'_ trilled the voice of her pride.

'Well why didn't you say something sooner?!'

Her head felt woozy from the sudden movement. She blinked and then there was two Starks both opening their mouths and asking, "are you okay? D'oh shit!" then cursing because her feet gave way and she collapsed into his arms.

Now what could be worse then that?

*~*

_Think being carried_-actually if she admitted to herself the truth even if it was…embarrassing to be carried in such a way by one's enemy…well…_bridal style_. It wasn't…all that bad. Sans the suggestive hoot from the perverted spoon and Nel's insistence that she accompany them to help her dress, well. That wasn't such a bad idea.

She certainly wasn't going to let _him_ get a free show.

Or let _him_ rest his large hand on the side of her breast anymore either!

"Boy…you're _flat_," he muttered disappointed, getting the door slammed in his face.

"Don't worry." Nel turned from the new pile of white outfits deposited on the bed, "he's not so bad. It's just Nnoitora that you have to watch out for." Rukia's eyebrows rose and self-consciously when the Arrancar female's back was to her again, she felt along the small rise of her chest.

_Maybe I am…kind of flat—wait—that's none of his business!_

_Stupid jerk._

She accepted the loose white shift that Neliel handed her. It went past her knees, draping in long pleated folds. It was sleeveless and the neckline was curved, exposing her throat by a border of black ribbon sewed into the fabric.

"So cute!" Neliel squealed; Rukia was reminded of Rangiku.

Thankfully the ex Espada didn't have the same glomping fetish as tenth's Lieutenant._ Phew_!

*~*

After Nel had left, saying goodnight and reassuring her that if she ever needed something to look for her down the hallway; Stark came in with Lilynette right after him. The green-haired Fraccion didn't notice Rukia sitting quietly in the chair near the bed until the door had closed and then she was all over her.

How was dinner—did she like it—and in a stage whisper _if she thought Ulquiorra was just to die for_.

Rukia just managed not to let her jaw fall open.

It was an emphatic _no_ that she hissed to Lilynette; except she did amend so that the small Arrancar wouldn't get upset…she had thought he was _cute_.

When. She had first seen him and especially before he opened his mouth.

Lilynette looked relieved, taking Rukia's hand between her own, she led her to…

"Hop in. We always share," she explained to Rukia's saucer eyes.

Stark was already on his side, facing away from them. His dark head of wavy hair contrasted with the pale pillows. There was room enough for one more. But two? She stared at his back and gulped. No way.

"In!"

A small hand pushed her forward from the middle of her back.

"Starkie's too lazy to try anything, so you're safe." Lilynette reassured her cheerfully.

_That wasn't what I was worried about. _

A muffled chuckle came from the other side of the bed.

_Jerk. He was still awake. _

"He's not interested in sex at all. Even though his *bleep* is large."

_How do you know and did I really need to know that much information?_

Definitely a smothered laugh covered over by a fake snore.

_I could kill them both_.

"He's really—"

Rukia scrambled into the bed, effectively halting Lilynette's commentary. The Fraccion smiled and climbed in after her.

*~*

Though she tried her hardest to keep her body from touching his. Eventually she found herself being pushed over into him by Lilynette's hip.

If it was done in sleep, she was battered pretty hard.

If it was done on purpose…for a reason Rukia couldn't fathom, it still worked.

In the morning-or when she awoke-she discovered herself encircled and trapped by a firm set of arms cuddling her like a giant teddy-bear to his chest.

The necklace of broken jaw dangled above her head and her face was buried in the front of his partially open uniform.

_Whyisthishappeningtome!_

As luck would have it, the prodigious misfortune still held sway over her.

For if possible…Stark squeezed her even tighter when she tried to wiggle away.

~*~

AN: I had time and there it is. :) Thanks for reading and reviews and suggestions for ridiculous situations that Rukia finds herself in with Stark; are welcome. :)


	6. Close encounters of an embarrassing kind

Great escapes were supposed to be planned and thought out. Every possible outcome had to be provided for and worst-case-scenarios-had to be addressed. In Rukia's case it was more the latter kept happening. Now she regretted most bitterly not partaking of the WCS card games that Renji and Ikkaku played sometimes in the Sixth division office when her brother wasn't around. Maybe if she had, a solution might have presented itself, one that especially didn't involve crash-landing on the heads of your enemies.

It happened thus.

Stark had given her—well given—isn't the word for it since he had to be forced by very unconventional means out of the room by Lilynette's foot planted in an area that Rukia had never once hit Ichigo in. She was then allowed to dress in relative peace and quiet after Lilynette had winkingly gone out herself to keep _old Starkie from sneaking back in_.

Rukia was filled with horror; _he would_!?

Neliel had assured her that he _wasn't_ a pervert. _Maybe he was secretly_. With that last thought in mind, Rukia hurriedly dressed and clambered back up the chair into the ventilation shaft. The same old wave of claustrophobia hit her and she bit down hard on her lip. _Escape. Have to see the new Death Note movie_—_I mean see Ichigo_. _Yeah. Definitely Ichigo—not catch up on Shojo Beat magazine…_

~*~

Soon she came to a fork in the shaft. One ran upward on a slight slant, the other was more familiar as having been the same one that left her out in the hallway. Repeating the incident of former circumstances—I.E running into a pair of Arrancars—was not high on her priority list. So determinedly she crawled up the slanted passageway into unknown territory.

The unknown territory being, if she had paused once to look out the side grills that she passed, the Spartan living quarters of one of the Espada. The Cuatro, Ulquiorra Schiffer to be exact was showering in the same moment Rukia wiggled by a row of water pipes that gurgled loudly in her eardrums and the most terrible off-key voice warbling the emo-song burbled out of the opposite wall. She stopped for a moment transfixed by the horrible throaty strains, a suspicion of green tear tracks and velvety voice distorted by a falsetto imitation and…shook her head.

_She didn't peg for one instant that devilishly cute—he wasn't cute she reminded herself—green-eyed Arrancar as having partaken of such a…no! It was none of her business_!

Her mind wandering off, she continued moving across the ceiling into the bedroom area. Now it just so happened that down below, Ulquiorra had stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a thick white towel around his waist and flicking a comb through his wet hair he walked into the next room and just so happened to be standing beneath the grillwork vent when he heard an odd noise.

A shuffling/grating/sound like someone was on their hands and knees crawling through the vent…

Suddenly as he was staring up, the section of ceiling began to crumble and just when he was about to Sonido to a safer part of the room…legs appeared under a flared skirt. So transfixed was he by this unexpected thrill of panties that he failed to notice the girl's flailing hands dislodge a rather large section of roofing material that fell and knocked him out cold.

Rukia came down a second later.

~*~

The first thing she realized as her screwed-shut eyes opened was that she was in a bedroom. The dust was settling and…she wiggled some and discovered she had chanced to land on something _very soft_. How fortuitous! The owner of the room didn't seem—

Then she noticed an out flung hand. Connected to a very white arm and the rise of a shoulder beneath her hip. Suddenly getting a very bad feeling, she lifted the edge of her skirt to find the inert face of the green-eyed Espada between her legs.

OH KAMI-SAMA!!!!!! –-Wait—was his nose bleeding?

~Later the same day~

Showers were meant to be refreshing and cleansing. Rukia didn't need the sight of the white bath towels folded neatly off to the side as a reminder of the eyeful she got seconds after her initial realization of landing on his face. _He had taken a bath. There was only a towel around his waist, a towel that had slipped off and revealed_…

Rukia dropped her head into her hands in red-cheeked shame. Stark and Lilynette had gone off to do whatever they did during the day and left her alone. So she had decided to take a relaxing shower that is—bemoan her failed escape and aforementioned eyeful of the Espada's manly fixtures.

What a day…

She sighed and turned the silver handle. The water stopped and she began to step out.

Without warning the door swung open to reveal Stark.

Frozen like a deer caught in the headlights, they stared at each other. Rukia was the first to scream and frantically lunge for a towel after his casual remark of, "Lilynette told me nobody was in here and man! You are _so_ flat. From _everywhere_."

She blushed angrily and chucked the nearest bottle of conditioner at him. "KNOCK MUCH?!!!" she roared as he chuckled, sidestepping out of her bad aim. In her rage she meant to plant her fist in his gut but having forgotten the wet floor slipped and fell backward instead.

His hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her arm, hauling her forward. "Whoa. Careful there—" he began but she cut him off with a shriek of humiliation.

Her towel had fallen to the floor.

~*~

_Lilynette. _

Rukia glanced over surreptitiously to the corner where the fraccion sat oblivious to the scrutinizing. _Something was going on here_. She was acting just too innocent. And that smile…that over-bright grin when Stark had carried her out, towel and all to deposit her on the bed. Lilynette had expressed concern that had sounded false.

Her one eye had been looking excitedly from Stark's impassive face to Rukia's furious reddened cheeks, innocently asking if _everything had gone all right_?

_Gone all right?_

_What the hell did that mean_?

Rukia sensed a conspiracy. Lilynette finally looked up and smiled a thousand mega-watt smile that only served to deepen the petite Shinigami's suspicions. From now on she'd have to make sure she locked the bathroom door when bathing even if no one was around and most of all—she chastised herself for thinking it: _not feel as though she were lost in a cloudy gray rainstorm every time she looked into Stark's eyes_.

Thinking things like that, would just NOT do.

Because that made it seem like she was going into the early stages of Stockholm syndrome. Which she certainly was not!

~*~

AN: Ulquiorra distracted by panties—typical male response. ;) If I could draw—I might try later on—I'd like to do that scene… ^.^

Thanks for reading and reviews—not flames—are always appreciated.

Note: Stockholm syndrome is when a captive starts becoming attached to their captor. I didn't know that. :P Until I looked it up somewhere.


	7. The Plan

She couldn't help it.

Every time she saw him…_she blushed_.

Nobody, she assumed noticed her sudden pink-cheeked silence whenever briefly in Ulquiorra's presence. _At least she thought that no one had noticed_.

Stark had. In times of escorting her to dining hall A where the Fraccion ate, would walk part of the way in the Cuatro's company. He saw the sly covert glances Ulquiorra snuck, even though he barely spoke a word to her. It annoyed Stark to no end to find interest building in a personage he had begun to think of as _his own_. And it didn't help that her reddened face was in evidence whenever the green-eyed Arrancar happened along.

Lilynette also saw this and endeavored—in secret—to put a stop to it.

An article called Matchmaker 101 from a pilfered Cosmo had given her all the ideas.

_Except…where to find suggestive Lingerie_?

Maybe there was some in Nnoitora's closet.

~*

Plan A: Give a girl chocolates.

"What is this?" Stark looked over the heart-shaped candy box his Fraccion had presented him with beamingly. "Candy?"

"Candy." She echoed, ignoring his confusion.

His eyebrow rose slightly and then he shrugged, plucking at the center-most caramel nougat. Her shriek stopped him from consuming it. "DON'T EAT IT, FOOL!!"

"Why not?" he seemed affronted.

"BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT FOR YOU!!!!"

"Oh." He became silent, looking down at the open box of dark brown chocolates. Lilynette waited expectantly, thinking he'd know who to give them to.

"So…are they yours then?"

"No." she explained patiently, "you are going to give them to Rukia."

For a moment understanding lit up in his gray eyes and she was hopeful again that things were proceeding perfectly. Then…

"Why would I give these to her? I want to eat them myself."

Lilynette face-palmed.

*~

Plan B: Suggest a get-_together_

He fell asleep mid-way through Monopoly.

Refused _Go Fish!_ And Rukia's suggestion of the card game: _Worst-case scenario_.

Beat them twice at Hearts and then…suggested _Strip poker_ himself.

Needless to say, neither Rukia nor Lilynette were amused.

*~*

Plan E: Send a bouquet of flowers

The letters suggested for D and E seemed too complicated to accomplish in Las Noches. So Lilynette moved on to the next one…it seemed easy enough.

A bunch of wild flowers tied with a black ribbon…fondly she stroked one petal ignoring the wilt that followed. Stark had left and Rukia was in the bathroom brushing her teeth. Carefully and with oh-so much glee, Lilynette set the improvised bouquet down on the bed and snuck out, leaving Rukia to find them as soon as she came out.

What Lilynette didn't account for and didn't expect was the arrival of a most unexpected visitor to the quarters of La Primera. In the form of Ulquiorra Schiffer, lately come back from a mission to the living world accompanied by Yammy. His eye still bled but he didn't bother wiping it away, walking into the room he knew its master to not be at. Everyone was still assembled in the Throne room.

_So she was alone_…yes…_even that bothersome Fraccion of Stark's had just left the room. He knew because he had seen from afar_…_Huh? What's this_? A swift change in thought had Ulquiorra accosting the strange object lying on the large bed. He picked it up and turned it to and fro, the tiniest hint of curiosity quirking his brow. He was startled then by _her_ voice that came near at hand.

"Did you…bring those?"

There was an element he had never expected in the simple acquiescence forming on his lips. "Yes." And held them out buds first.

She took them surprised but with a not unappealing blush dusting her cheeks.

*~*

Lilynette didn't know the extent of her failure until near bedtime and Stark's casual comment about the strange flowers in the vase on the bedside table had her eye widening in alarm. Rukia then replied nonchalantly _that Ulquiorra had brought them to her_.

Both Fraccion and Espada were floored.

But didn't show it.

Stark because—well—he was Stark. He refused to admit it was jealousy that made him glare over his teacup during the meeting the next day at Ulquiorra. He was so NOT jealous.

Lilynette well…snuck a reserve eight boxes of chocolates into the closet when the other two were asleep. She had a feeling she would need them.

~*~

AN: my favorite part was with the chocolates. :) Thanks for reading—no flames—reviews are always appreciated. :)


	8. Avert 'not' thine eyes

~A few days after the bouquet incident~

Unexpected actions can bring unusual consequences. Incidents deriving from misfortune are more or less bound to be-well-unpleasant. Rukia had only the strange machinations of Lilynette and Mila-Rose to blame for her position on the floor behind a rack of towels directly across from a natural hot springs below Las Noches. Especially considering the denizens that happened to be occupying the springs—in the nude she assumed since when they had opened the door she had heretofore thought she was locked in by…it was Stark and Ulquiorra in _only_ towels.

Oh the infamy!

Towels aside and the steam of the water rising had met her hesitant peek to check if that had indeed been Stark's voice saying to Ulquiorra, "we need to talk." Silence followed his proclamation and only the tiny splish-splash of water as the Arrancars settled in.

Ulquiorra was closest, seated at an angle so that a goodly part of his upper chest rose from the water in marblesque splendor. She felt a blush creeping on. True to rank, a black four adorned one half of his right breast…she found her gaze hard to remove from him and chastised herself for it. Accordingly she switched over to Stark whom she discovered sideways to her.

_Wow…he has a nice bod_…_damn! No I hadn't meant to think that!_ Chagrined her hand flew to her mouth as she was wondered severely why she couldn't rid herself of the profile of rock hard abs and a hairless chest of even skin tone.

"So what did you wish for us to speak about?" the silence was finally broken by Ulquiorra; one lazy gray eye opened and observed the other's reserve. "I'd think it would be pretty obvious, Cuatro." Stark said, inclining his head back, a tiny droplet of water rolled down the side of his strong throat beneath the necklace of bone. She tried not to imagine its progress past his collarbone.

"No. It is _not_." Ulquiorra answered quietly a moment later.

A slight furrowing of Stark's features betrayed his annoyance, "come now. Must I make it plain? I've seen _it_." His voice dropped low, "try so much as to deny it and I'll smash your face in." Rukia swallowed with difficulty; those words…that threat reminded her of his rank…and power. _La Primera; the strongest of all the Arrancars in Aizen's army_. She looked again. Ulquiorra hadn't moved; his face remained impassive, unreadable, only the slightest narrowing of his eyes revealed any change of emotion. "I don't know what you are talking about." he insisted.

"Don't play dumb. I heard you asking Lord Aizen why _I_ was given the task instead of you!" Stark hissed angrily, "and then those flowers! Sneaking behind my back…" he muttered a few other deprecating things that she didn't hear. At the mention of the flowers, she fell back against the wall with a slight thump that neither male appeared to hear.

_He was jealous._

_Of what?_

_He was accusing Ulquiorra…because he…but no…it seemed too improbable_!

Terribly confused and forgetting her precarious position, she fairly flew to the crack between the shelves when Stark said her name. "Rukia!" It had seemed in response to the Cuatro's remark to all that been said and even then she longed to see the expression on his face once Stark…

The towel rack crashed.

The two Arrancars started up, water streamed from their bodies; Rukia raised her head from the flat spraddle to which she had found herself lying after the total collapse of the shelves. Silence reigned…until Stark crossed to the rocky edge of the spring, looking incredulously at her, "Rukia?"

She couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe for the horror that beset her.

She had seen _all_ of them.

~*~

"What happened?"

Rukia barely heard a word of Lilynette's. Soon she felt the Fraccion's hand under her chin and her other arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Tell me what happened," Lilynette said more forcefully. Rukia blinked, her eyes filling up though the desire to cry wasn't something the Arrancar would understand.

"I saw them…" she began.

Lilynette nodded patiently.

"Naked!"

"Oh…what's so bad about that?"

Rukia hung her head defeatedly, "I didn't look away."

~*~

When Lilynette reported the following evening of the course Rukia had chosen when encountering the two and especially not averting her eyes from _other areas_…Mila-Rose rejoiced enthusiastically. She assured her that it meant some interest was building and that she herself was _a tad bit jealous. Getting a full frontal view of Ulquiorra Schiffer! For shame_!

However Lilynette wasn't so convinced that finally things were progressing on the right track. After all Rukia did see both and admitted she couldn't take her eyes off _either_. She wasn't showing preference to Stark, the way Lilynette wanted. Speaking in near breathless, blushing tones about the Cuatro's marble-like torso when asked for details was not aiding the case for her Starkie.

Not that _he_ helped any.

He was even less talkative and awake in Rukia's presence. Sometimes sleeping past lunch 'til almost dinnertime when it would take more of an effort to awaken him. This continued for more than a week. Lilynette was then inclined to believe it was an onset of depression.

_Or maybe just severe laziness-_

_Probably a mixture of both_, she thought, calling over her shoulder to Rukia, "I'm going on ahead. Wake up Stark for me, will ya?" The petite Shinigami shrugged and turned back to the large inert white-clad form lying full-length on the bed. Lilynette closed the door softly and made her way down the hall, not paying attention to the black-haired Arrancar loitering in the shadows…_just waiting to casually join in on Stark's walk to dinner._

~*~

"Stark!" Nothing. Her eye twitched, "hey, it's dinnertime, wake up already!" So saying this, Rukia lifted her foot high and…had it grabbed out from under her. Losing her balance, she crashed heavily on top of him only to find herself positioned underneath, pinned by his arms and legs.

"S-Stark?" she tilted her head back against the pillow, his breath along her jaw line made her realize how close he was to her. "C'mon…don't do that…you're scaring me." She managed to smile shakily, trying to give the impression she had understood his joke. He scowled, freeing one hand to drag it roughly down the side of her face. His stare was so intense that immediately her cheeks became flushed.

"Stark…I—"

He interrupted her, "do…y—I take good care of you?"

_Wha—wha—WHAT?!!!_

"Just answer me." He insisted, taking her stunned silence for something else.

"Y-Y-yeah." Rukia finally managed to mutter in a voice she hardly recognized as her own. Stark didn't seem notice. "That's good." He released her completely and sat on the edge of the bed, looking down to the floor, "Lord Aizen was asking about you the other day. He said he wanted to know how you were and if I was watching over you correctly."

_That's…all?_

Disappointment she couldn't measure and halfway didn't understand its source flooded her heart. Quietly she crawled off the other side of the bed, murmuring, "I'll find my way to the dining hall by myself."

"Okay," he replied, not trying to stop her.

~*~

The door closed. He was alone again. Stark dropped his face into his hands, frustrated at his own cowardice. He couldn't even ask her a simple question…what a fool he was.

_Do you like me?_

He had been afraid of her answer. Something so platonic sounding as _like_ could have been construed a dozen different ways, nonetheless for the all elusive emotion called _love_. Stark wanted to know what she felt when she looked at him, if it was the same as what he went through every moment spent in her presence.

He knew Lilynette had caught onto something already. Her suspicions weren't an immediate cause of concern however for even he himself knew little what to make of the petite Shinigami. It somehow had been his Fraccion's doing that Rukia had ended up in the Espadas' side of the hot springs complex. He also had the suspicion that one of Halibel's three had been in on it too.

Stark smirked as the memory of when her shell-shocked face had been drawn downward below his waist was remembered. _He refused to recall that she had done the same when Ulquiorra had approached_. Some admiration and a hint of _something else_ had flashed through her eyes then. _She had to feel something for him_…he was sure of it!

~*~

Rukia hardly knew where she was going. The hallways all seemed the same and blurred into one long mind-numbing pillared white hell. _This confusion…_her body kept moving, her mind was elsewhere. _Why had she gotten so upset over what he had said_?!

_He was only following orders._

She knew that.

_He had no interest in anything but sleeping._

Lazy ass.

But then why…she trudged on, absently lifting her hand to rest it above her heart. Why did it have to hurt inside for her to think like that of him?

_Did she want him to_—

"Lost, little girl?"

Rukia spun around; her heart in her throat for there, stepping from the shadows was Nnoitora, a twisted leer on his face…

~To be continued~

AN: oh no! Who is going to save Rukia?!

Heheheheh. :P

You're going to have to wait until the next chapter to find out. ;) Thanks for reading—no flames or idiotic spammers—but reviews are always appreciated! :)


	9. Kitty likes catnip

Rukia was more than adept at hiding her emotions even if it happened to be the perverted spoon before her blocking whatever chance she had of escaping his grasp. "No," she enunciated slowly, watching for an opening to run, "I'm not lost. Are you sure you aren't?"

Nnoitora licked his lips suggestively, eyeing her current ensemble of a white summer dress and teensy black bow tied atop her head. "No…dearie. I don't think so; you see this happens to be my domain that you're in…" he kept talking but she didn't hear. Her mind was going in furious circles trying to think up a way out of the mess she was in. _To top it off she was getting hungry_.

_Neliel had said Nnoitora was a perv, as did Stark. So what would be…his weakness_?

"Look!!!" her finger jabbed to an area somewhere behind him. "Halibel's stripping!!!"

"WHERE??!!" he spun around, looking eagerly.

~*~

_So predictable_, she snorted softly as she turned tail and ran off as fast as she could_. Men_.

"You little liar! Get back here, I said!!!!" he roared, giving chase. Unfortunately she discovered, he not only was a long string bean but also his long legs gave him an advantage she didn't have. He was gaining on her when someone in white passed by the opposite end of the hall. "Wait!" in mistaken belief Rukia lunged for said personage, gasping out her cry seconds before barreling into the unsuspecting…teal-haired Arrancar.

Nnoitora skated to a stop, hissing angrily, "Grimmjow!"

"What the hell…" the bored looking Sexta's eyebrows crept up seeing indeed who had banged their nose into his exposed six-pack and then fallen backward onto their behind, staring stupidly up at him. "Grimm—kitty?" Rukia couldn't remember if that was his name or not. From the tic that popped out on the side of his jaw, she thought not. _Didn't Grimm-kitty have an especially infamous bad temper_? Really she expected to be yelled at…but…

"Grrr…c'mon." he reached down and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to her feet roughly. Rukia stared up at with frightened eyes. _What was he going to do her_?!

Obviously Nnoitora wondered the same. "Where are you taking her, Grimm—"

"Not a word outta ya," for a second their glares met and Rukia could almost see the static sparking between them. Reluctantly the Quinta backed down, snarling under his breath. Grimmjow stared after his retreating back with a sneer of disgust.

"Fucking fag," he muttered. Her eyes widened and then he chuckled, seemingly in a better mood. "C'mon, I'll take you to the dining hall."

~*~

They walked in silence for a while, retracing a path back to an area that started to look more familiar to her. _Two turns from the left to the right, past that cracked pillar_…her eyes wandered occasionally to his face. _Should I show gratitude? Or_—

"What the hell you looking at?"

Rukia reddened even though she felt a spark of anger. "No need to bite my head off, idiot. I wasn't sure if you deserved a thank you, is all."

Grimmki—I mean—Grimmjow scowled and ran a hand through his teal hair distractedly, "eh, don't bother. I only did it 'cause that bitch Ulquiorra threatened blackmail if I didn't keep an eye on ya."

_Ulquiorra_? "He did?" _Wonder what he used as blackmail?_

The teal-haired Espada nodded.

Her amazement kept her from saying anything and only Grimmjow's sneer of, "well, speak of the devil." Caused her to look up and lo and behold, an expressionless Ulquiorra stood waiting beside the familiar door to dining hall A. The two Espadas exchanged looks and Rukia noticed Ulquiorra had something in his hand. _The edge of a Polaroid_-?

With a heavy sigh and glower at the Sexta, he handed one photo over. Apparently there were more. Grimmjow smirked as he took it and closed his fist upon the white edge and glossy picture, incinerating it with a balas. _She really wanted to know what it was_.

"The deal was for only _one_, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra said when the other tried to snatch the rest. It was Grimmjow's turn to glower and snarl, "I don't remember making any deal with you--"

"Would you like this..." Ulquiorra began, his voice deadly quiet, making sure two suddenly very worried teal orbs were fixed on his hand and the separating of another snapshot and held up between white fingers, "to be plastered all over Las Noches?"

Dead silence reigned until Rukia burst out laughing.

"Aw, shut it," Grimmjow muttered, his eyes flashing but wary of causing a scene for then every fraccion behind the door they stood by, would be all over them--not to mention the incriminating photo Ulquiorra all but waved beneath the Sexta's nose.

For it was obvious..._Grimmkitty_ loved catnip.

~To be continued~

AN: The length I wasn't happy about, however since it's late, I decided to polish it up and post it, meaning to do another chapter sooner than this one was to the previous CH.8. Next time, it'll be more StarkxRukia than Ulqui. :) Thanks for reading--no flames or idiotic spammers--reviews are always appreciated. :)


	10. A disastrous outing

~A disastrous outing~

If Lilynette's plans had failed thus far within the confines of Las Noches, maybe she needed to revise her strategy. Maybe a romantic outing as suggested in _Shinigami women are from Venus and the idiots are from Mars_, written by Rangiku Matsumoto; was just the thing! Mila-Rose swore by it as it being the best dating guide out there. Her copy was even_ signed_.

~*~

_An outing_...Lilynette read over the chapter again and again. _But where? _

There weren't very many amusements to be found in the Hueco Mundo desert. No theme parks or Carnivals or even Movie Theaters like what was listed as possible excursions. The Hot springs was out, since she was worried Stark might get an inkling that it had been partially her doing that other time. _So where...?_

Finally she was forced to enlist the aid of Neliel, who as a former Vasto Lordes, might know of a secluded spot _somewhere_. Needless to say, the ex Espada was thrilled to be included in "The Plan," as well as the fact that she did know of a certain location not in the travel books that was in the form of a black lake beneath a couple of underground caverns a few miles east of the Las Noches main building. It was perfect, the green-haired Arrancar cooed, for romance to blossom. Lilynette agreed it was a good bet however did wonder if the large pink hearts that had suddenly popped up out of nowhere and surrounded Nel, were any indication that maybe the female Espada wouldn't be able to keep her mouth shut about "_The Plan"_. _She did seem a tad bit ditzy, former Tercera or not_.

Now the hard part was just convincing the suspicious Rukia and sleeping bulk that was Stark, that everyone needed a breather from the stale Palace air. It seemed to be a good argument at first at least until the Shinigami countered it by saying rather scathingly that the air of Hueco Mundo was more dead than the one they were breathing. Lilynette was nonplussed. _She had expected a few drawbacks to occur none the least from the Shinigami. However she was_--

One gray eye opened and Stark threw in his opinion, "why don't we all just take a nice long nap?"

_Lazyassstupidjerk_. Lilynette could think of a few more nasty things to say, but didn't think it was productive to waste any more time dealing with the--again. Her thought process was halted by another. "Think you, we are all indolent good-for nothings like yourself?!" Rukia snapped. He was unfazed. An eye _didn't_ even twitch.

Lilynette could tell Rukia was furious.

_She was not used to being ignored obviously. _

Which with a man-er-Arrancar like Stark, you very often were.

"I'm just saying it's such a chore to--" his words were cut off by a well-placed fist to the nose.

THWACK

If Lilynette hadn't thought at first that Rukia's annoyance would bear fruit towards her ultimate goal...she was wrong.

"We're going and that's FINAL!!!!" the petite Shinigami roared without any further inducement.

~*~

_Three hours and twenty minutes later..._

"This is it?"

Lilynette could hear the sarcasm present in Rukia's voice and silently agreed with her.

Neliel had been wrong. Or this wasn't the place she had meant.

It was only a meandering _black_ water stream that poured from some slimy ashen rocks into a tiny sandy bed. It did not inspire any feelings or romantic attachment. Maybe only disappointment.

"Undoubtedly," Stark answered, scratching at his chin.

"Well. I'm most certainly glad we didn't follow through with your plan. If we had, we'd have missed the most wonderful picnicking spot," Rukia said seriously.

"Are you mad?" his gray eyes widened slightly, looking down at her. "This is the most uncomfortable place to take a nap."

Silence.

Lilynette struggled not to wallop him in the stomach for his insensitivity. _Even the nosy Cuatro had more feelings than him. And that was saying a lot_.

"Is sleeping all you think about?!"

"Maybe." he replied, looking away.

Rukia was about to explode. She opened and closed her mouth several times before abruptly spinning on her heel nearly tripping over a stone in the process. Angrily she kicked at it, stubbing her toe but refusing to even wince. "Bastard," she spat and stalked off. Limping somewhat actually if anybody had noticed.

Stark didn't. The moment she vanished from sight; he plopped down and promptly fell asleep leaning against a boulder, leaving Lilynette with precisely nothing more to do than lament and wonder how things had could've gone _so wrong_.

Little did she realize that the real disaster was yet to come.

~*~

Running off in a strange land and even stranger underground cave wasn't a very SMART thing to do. However, Rukia had a habit of letting her emotions guide her actions and even less of listening to commonsense. Who needed commonsense when she knew she had just made three lefts and one right from the last corner..._three lefts don't make a right_.

Rukia stopped in tracks.

_Why had she taken off like that? It was stupid and childish and--_

She took a look around, realizing the area didn't match the instructions in her mind.

_Lost_.

She was lost.

_Oh no._

Rukia turned around and backtracked to the previous cavern room.

This did not look familiar.

She bit her lip to hold in the scream of frustration that had been building within her for the last week.

_WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!!!!!_

Was what she really wanted to say.

And unfortunately this time...there was no Ulquiorra or Grimm-kun-kitty around to save her.

~*~

Lilynette was getting worried. Call it intuition or just a plain nagging sense that something was off with the disappearance of the petite Shinigami. _She had NOT come back_. And Stark was still sound asleep. _The idiot._ Lilynette glared at him feeling ineffectual with her one eye. After a moment or so, she prodded him on the leg.

"Oi, Stark! Wake up!"

Nada. Not even a flicker of an eyelid.

"Stark...Rukia's gone." she tried a different tactic

His eyes flew open, "what?" his voice was still slightly slurred by sleep. Lilynette was sure it was an act. "Just what I said, you dum-dum." she muttered. Stark blinked and wiped away the last traces of his forty-winks from his visage. "So, how long has she been gone?" he asked very seriously.

Now her eye_ twitched_. "About as long as you've been sleepin'."

"Oh." he glanced around seeming to expect a trail of bread crumbs to lead him right to her. When he saw none, he turned back to Lilynette, "which way did she go?"

"That--" she pointed to the farther end and crevice between two sheets of rock, "way."

His spirit pressure had faded already.

The Fraccion sighed and face-palmed.

Trust Stark to go running to save the princess/Shinigami without a clear knowledge on how to precisely get out of the cave system they were in. After all, _she_ was carrying the map Nel had made, not him. And...try as she might to open her Pesquisa all the way...she could not sense him nor anyone any more. It seemed that the walls and dark rock were the ore base for the Seki-Sekki stone.

_Not good. _

_This was so definitely NOT GOOD._

_~*~_

The bad thing was that nothing looked anymore familiar than the last patch of rocks and sand. There was no water, no sound of water or anything even remotely resembling a tiny tributary of the stream where Lilynette and Stark were. The good thing was that there was _no_ Stark and Lilynette around.

_If only I could find my way out of this stupid cave and get out in the open, I could figure out a way to esca_--_but then wouldn't Lilynette be crushed because __she__ had taken off? Or worse...what if they thought she'd been eaten by a rogue Hollow or something_?

Rukia entertained herself for a moment imagining Ulquiorra's look of sorrow--then shook her head to rid herself of the _appealing_ image_. I mean annoying image. Yeah. Definitely not appealing--because appealing would mean I_--she continued arguing with herself at least until she nearly walked headfirst into a _white_ part of the wall that _moved_.

"Whoa," Stark caught her arms to keep her from slamming into him. Red-faced for no reason she could immediately conjecture, Rukia felt a mix of emotions stir inside when she looked up and met his bored gray eyes. "Where the hell were you?"_ he sounded faintly exasperated_, she thought, feeling something akin to hope rising in her chest. "You were looking for--"

"Of course." he let her go only to raise his hand to his mouth stifling a yawn, "Lilynette pounced on me and demanded I come and find you." _It was partially a lie but he figured she didn't need to know he'd actually been worried about her_. At least he thought so.

She frowned, disappointment creeping in. "So, only Lilynette was worried..." she trailed off; his hand was on her cheek, lightly touching her face. Rukia's breath caught, her heart began pounding. Desperately then, she fought to keep her voice from shaking, "what are you doing?"

"Hmm?" She saw his eyes widen as he seemed to realize suddenly what he was doing. "There was a spot of dirt on your face," he said, pulling away moderately fast. Of that he was lying she was nearly sure, the reason why he was, she couldn't fathom (though she really did want to know.)

"Er...we should get going," he muttered awkwardly, resolutely ignoring the aura of discomfited air between them. Rukia said something equally noncommittal and followed.

~Meanwhile back at Las Noches...~

"Ulquiorra..." Aizen said quietly, his bent back to the stoic Cuatro standing in the doorway. "Have you seen any books around here?" The ex Captain shifted another stack of paper paraphernalia piled up haphazardly on one of the tables; _it really gathered up_. Knowing the nature of the Arrancar, he didn't expect much of a response.

"What...was it called?"

Aizen felt a flicker of surprise but quickly smoothed his countenance, "it was a dating guide, a gift from Gin a long time ago. _Shinigami women are from Venus and the idiots are from Mars_."

Ulquiorra was quiet. _He had seen such a trashy item somewhere...but where? _He thought and thought and then slowly it came back to him. _She__ had it_; _the one with the frail neck_. "No." he lied flatly, "I'm sorry, but I have not."

"Oh, that's alright. Just keep an eye out for it. I wanted to make an audio CD recording of it for Kaname...that man just doesn't know how to score with _the girls_," here, Aizen shook his head sadly and Ulquiorra began to edge silently toward the door.

"What about you, Ulquiorra?"

Green eyes widened slightly in an unmistakable inquisitive look.

"Anyone special?"

If anybody had seen the slight coloration of a pinkish hue imprint itself upon the Cuatro's white face...they would know instantly the impossible had transpired.

Ulquiorra Schiffer was blushing.

Fortunately or unfortunately no one did and he after answering an affirmative_ no_, beat a hasty retreat before his Lord turned around and saw the incriminating flush.

_Since blushing wasn't a very Espada-like thing to do. _

_Or be caught doing._

~The Caves~

"I swear this looks familiar." Rukia announced for the fifth time, glancing around at the enclosure of rocks and sand and low ceilings. Stark sighed and leaned into the next room, sighed heavier and stepped back. "We're lost," he admitted without seeming much troubled. Rukia sweat-dropped, "didn't you make a note of how many turns and stuff you made after you left Lilynette?"

"No."

She wanted to strangle him. "Well, how are we going to find our way back then?"

"Dunno."

He sounded so unconcerned and uninterested with their predicament that she wanted to scream/strangle him/punch him in a place it would hurt the most. The latter seemed most feasible but she wasn't quite sure if she was bold enough yet to plant her fist _there_. _It would be a surprise attack since he wasn't paying much attention to her_...his eyes were half-lidded _and_...she got nearer.

"Stark?"

A soft snore was her reply.

_Asleep! _

_He had fallen asleep on his feet_!

~To be continued~

AN: Thanks for reading.

No flames, stupid comments (you know what I mean!) or idiotic spammers!

Reviews are always appreciated! :)

Note: another thing, when Ulquiorra saw Rukia with the dating guide it was because she had found it in Lilynette's side of the bed and just happened to be flipping through it when he caught a glimpse of her. ;)


	11. The Incredible Blushing Hollows

She punched him. Her fist that had of so few weeks previously done quite a number on Ichigo's face, somehow just did not cut it against the Hierro. Stark didn't even flinch. _Curse Aizen and the Hogyoku_. Rukia withdrew her fist only to replace it with a foot to the shin._ Nada once again_. "Jerk," she muttered aloud, hopping on her good foot. Lilynette made it look easy to get a reaction..._oh no_. Her brow rose as another thought came to her.

As if on cue, the Fraccion's voice floated through her consciousness. _"Just give old Starkie a hard squeeze on the balls, that'll get him up real fast!"_

_If nothing else worked...could I_? Her hand shaking and trembling whether from fear/embarrassment-make that feeling her face grow as red as a tomato...approached the sensitive part of the male anatomy.

~A moment later...~

He yelped.

Startled, Rukia fell back, landing hard on her behind.

"Lily--oh." Unfocused gray eyes wandered downward then around, "where are we again?"

"I just yanked on you and all you have to say is 'oh'!" she cried, scrambling to her feet. Stark mildly turned back to her, "yanked on me?" He looked confused for a moment then brightened, "my, you're certainly getting bolder."

"Wha-what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

To her absolute consternation, he saw her blush and chuckled, seeming to not be the least repentant for being the cause. "Cute, Rukia. Now let's go."

_Cute? _she watched him walk through into the next room. "What do you mean,_ 'cute'_?! I'm not cute! And do you even know where we're going?!" There may have been a grunt of disagreement but even then she wasn't sure since his footsteps were growing farther away.

_The jerk was leaving her behind!_

Silently crying in frustration, Rukia ran after him.

~Las Noches~

"_She_ isn't there," spoke the teal-haired Arrancar.

Ulquiorra backed away from the closed door of the Primera's quarters with a nonchalance that anyone would be hard-pressed to say was fake. Grimmjow knew better however.

"So, what 'cha doing here anyway, Ulqui?"

"That is none of your concern, Grimmjow. And please refrain from addressing me by such a ridiculous name. "

"I bet you were hoping _she_ was alone, weren't you, Ulqui?" The Sexta persisted, ignoring the other's glower at his repeated use of the name.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?"

"No." Ulquiorra swiftly turned on his heel and began to stride back up the hallway, a slight feeling of gloom weighing down his thoughts. _Not gloom_, the melancholy Espada refused to think. _He was not in such low-spirits just because he learned he wouldn't be able to glimpse the girl with the frail neck today_. His hand twitched in his pocket at the remembrance of that particular feature of her anatomy. He sighed. _It was a fine neck indeed_...

~The Caves~

"Stark! Rukia! You found her!"

Rukia was nearly bowled over by the Fraccion.

"Of course I did," he yawned boredly, ignoring Lilynette's overt display of affection. "Now can we go?"

Lilynette stopped in her joyous celebrating to glare in his direction, "of course not!"

"Why?"

"Because," the Fraccion dragged the nearly unconscious Shinigami to the ground beside the mysterious basket Lilynette had previous insight to bring. And _unconscious_ you say? Well it was simply because Rukia had been made dizzy by being spun around by the hyper Arrancar.

"We haven't picnicked yet!"

~Las Noches, several hours after their return. ~

"Where were you?"

He started, turning slightly to the black-haired Arrancar stepping out of the shadows (and by shadows we mean shadows). "Ulquiorra," Stark looked surprised for a moment, "what? Are you tailing me or something?"

The Cuatro made no remark, only casually scanned the area. No one else. He fought the urge to sigh in disappointment. _The girl wasn't there_. "Not at all," he said dismissively, his hands in his pockets like always. Stark observed his expression and aura of black gloom he was putting out and came to the only logical explanation that fitted with the Cuatro's denial and that _his _mind could come up with.

Which also happened to be totally wrong. Unfortunately.

"Did you..." Stark hesitated, looking slightly unsure on how to proceed.

Green eyes widened an infinitesimal fraction. _Had he realized something?_ _Maybe the Primera wasn't such lazy trash as he originally surmised._

"Miss me?"

If it had been Grimmjow, he would've guffawed loud enough to alert the denizens of Las Noches that something was up and very quickly they would have an eager audience filled with other deviants like Nnoitora. As it was Ulquiorra whom was being accused of Shonen-Ai sensibilities, his reaction to say the least wasn't _as loud_.

He stared. His eyes did not become the size of dinner plates but they did feel like they wanted to pop out of their sockets. _Luckily he could regrow them_. "Excuse me?" he finally said in a dangerously soft voice.

Stark rolled his shoulders, shrugging slightly, "hey, man. I'm cool with it--not that I'm that way--_I'm not_. Okay? But I mean if it helps you go to sleep at night--"

"I. Do not. Like. _You_." Ulquiorra didn't get a chance to add. _I. Hate. You. As. Well_.

Stark's brows rose, "really? Are you sure about that?"

It was at that moment that two figures came dashing down the hall toward them. One being Lilynette giggling madly, her one eye rolling to the side as Rukia came tearing down the corridor after her...in only a bath towel. The object of the Shinigami's single-minded purpose of retrieval rested in the Fraccion's iron grip. It was...her underwear.

Both males turned and stared. Earning them definite eyefuls of a streaker when Rukia accidentally tripped over--well let's just say it was someone's sandaled foot and went flying into Ulquiorra's arms. Towel notwithstanding.

Almost immediately there were two identical blushes darkening the two male Arrancars cheeks.

And one that almost rivaled both on hers along with a shriek of mortification.

Lilynette stopped in the opposite hallway to burst into another spurt of evil-sounding giggles.

_"The Plan,"_ seemed to be progressing nicely.

~Elsewhere -somewhere in Seireitei~

"Rukia hasn't reported in for two weeks?" Byakuya Kuchiki questioned. Ukitake coughed into a handkerchief before speaking, "I'm sorry. I would've let you know sooner--"

"I'm sure she is with that Kurosaki boy," the Kuchiki Noble cut him off scathingly.

A white eyebrow rose, "it is possible. But I don't think she--"

"I may send Abarai later to pick her up. That boy's presence corrupts everything," he wrinkled his nose aristocratically despite Ukitake's polite cough. The Captain of the Thirteenth Division never enjoyed hearing someone he liked and respected spoken of in such tones of dislike that Byakuya affected. Yet he was much too polite to actually say so.

"Well, if you think it's nothing to be--"

"It isn't." Byakuya spun on his heel abruptly, "when I have located Rukia, I will make sure to send her to attend to you. Your fourth seats never seemed to be competent enough."

Ukitake sighed the moment the door slid shut. He hadn't been able to tell Byakuya about the suspicious spirit pressure that had appeared the day Rukia went missing and vanished just as mysteriously a while later. Oh well...maybe it was as he said. She was just visiting friends. The frail Captain smiled at the thought.

Never knowing it was the exact opposite.

~To be continued~

AN: Thanks for reading.

No flames, stupid comments (you know what I mean!) Or idiotic spammers!

Reviews are always appreciated! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Ulquiorra scanned the woman's sternum.

Flat, just as he had expected.

His eyes drifted down; narrow hips, thin legs...all in all_ not_ the finest specimen of the female gender. Satisfied with this examination, he said so, "how very unattractive you are."

THWACK.

Her hand was still mid-air from slapping his cheek, her snarl of rage all but decreasing her looks. He had to modify one part of his former statement in his mind. Rukia Kuchiki wasn't unsightly...there was something rather pleasing the way her lips drew back over her pearly teeth, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Let me--" her demand froze on her tongue.

Footsteps were coming.

Two pairs and one was laughing.

Ulquiorra held her out at arm's length from him, distastefully observing already, water dripping from her body had begun to soak into his immaculate uniform.

Her eyes popped out, her mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

He had heard something about Ichimaru's fondness for her and was surprised they hadn't come across one another sooner. Perhaps, the Primera kept a tighter watch on the Shinigami than he had given him credit for.

Or maybe he just didn't like to share.

"Put this on!" whisper-hissed Stark, shoving his outer jacket to the Shinigami. Ulquiorra set her upright, taking the article of clothing and draping it efficiently around her shoulders. There was little or no time to Sonido her somewhere else, without looking suspicious.

"Stand here," he commanded, tightening his grip on her arm when she made no move to get closer. _Damn woman_.

The footsteps were closer. Coming up the hall, they were Lilynette's falsified sweet tones murmuring in greeting, "Lord Aizen, Ichimaru-san."

The Shinigami's eyes were saucer-sized now. Ridiculously she tried to bolt, but his iron grip on her jerked her back, holding her in place in front of him. Stark scooped up her towel and hid it behind his back just in time.

A moment later, their Lord's impressive figure came up, Ichimaru walking abreast, his ever-present grin on.

It only widened catching sight of the Shinigami.

"Oh, hello, Rukia-chan!"

She cowered, her hand tight on the front of the jacket.

Aizen passed her over with hardly a look, his pause merely for the tribute he expected of his prized Espada. Accordingly Stark inclined his head, "good afternoon, Lord Aizen."

Ulquiorra followed, stiffer, since the trembling form of the woman was right up against him. "My Lord."

Aizen's smile was generous, my Espadas, what a fine day we're having, wouldn't you say so? Hm...Ms. Kuchiki?" His address was finally to her, though she was currently shrinking from Ichimaru's leer.

"Y-Yes, s-sir!" in her fright; Ulquiorra supposed she had forgotten to hurl any invectives at the traitor of the Soul Society. His lord didn't notice, so taken was he at the nice weather Hueco Mundo seemed to be having-though Ulquiorra had to admit, he himself had noticed _no_ difference out on the desert plain.

Except for the lack of sandstorms.

His lord sighed in contentment and leisurely walked off in search of another unfortunate lackey to make bow in subservience. Ichimaru didn't keep up, his preoccupation was with the small Shinigami and gaining a day's worth of entertainment from her fear of him.

Ulquiorra didn't approve.

_The woman was a valuable captive_--

"Pardon us, Ichimaru-san, but I believe I promised to show the woman, the underground gardens." He said curtly, pulling the Shinigami away. A frown replaced the constant smile. "What's this, Ulqui? You sound--"

He Sonido'd them both away.

--_and there was something that bothered him in witnessing her squirm under Ichimaru's taunts._

_But, he refused to think it was bred out of any desire to protect her._

~*~

That was weird.

Rukia had never thought the green-eyed Cuatro might one day become her savior. Especially from the creep, Ichimaru's clutches.

He went from one minute insulting to nearly-very nearly-_tolerable_.

His silence didn't help.

_And--underground gardens? Was there such a thing built beneath Las Noches? _

Because...this really didn't look like it.

In fact it was--

"Inside," none-so gently he pushed her in.

--his room-or-rooms, she realized with a sinking feeling, catching sight of the patched area of ceiling where she had crashed...oh no!

He remembered! - and--why were his hands sliding around her throat?

"Neck...such a fine neck..."

~*~

Meanwhile...

Ichimaru looked after the way Ulquiorra had disappeared off to, his glance rolling to Stark, who was scratching absently at his goatee.

"Something eatin' Ulqui-kun?"

"Huh? Nah...he's always emo."

"Oh, then that explains why he's got a fetish for necks. Heard him talkin' several days ago 'bout Rukia-chan's in particular. Grimm-kun says that's where he likes to--"

"Leave Hickeys?!"

But too late, Gin realized he had lost his audience. Stark's Sonido made him one of the fastest Arrancars in Las Noches.

The fox-faced Shinigami frowned thoughtfully, "huh...leave hickeys? Where'd he get that idea from? I meant to say, stab them."

After that, Gin shrugged and continued on his way to catch up to Aizen.

~To be continued~

AN: Sorry for the long wait!

More StarkxRukiaxUlqui-ness coming!

Thanks for reading :)

No flames-stupid comments-idiotic spammers!

Please review :)


	13. Out of the frying pan into the fire

-Out of the frying pan into the fire-

The adage being much outdated suited the turn of events that lead Rukia into the grasp of Ulquiorra Schiffer. Grimm-_kitty_ himself had taken notice of the Cuatro's unhealthy fascination with necks much the same of Tosen's collecting of Law&Order DVDs, that it must be said was particularly why the Sexta and the Director general did not get along since Grimm absolutely refused to watch L&O marathons when Tosen invited him.

Rukia however, couldn't have cared less as the hands started..._caressing-? _ _Was he going to...make the moves on her?_ Instantly her mind conjured up all the shojo mangas Ichigo had laughed at before getting a kick or a book thrown at his head.

_The idiot-!_ Now she saw how those mangas had prepared her for situations such as these.

_Act...coy. First_. Rukia slid from his grasp, lightly swatting (for Rukia anyway, emphasize **lightly**) the offending appendages away. "Please do not touch me." Rukia said demurely, keeping her wits and her makeshift clothes on her. Just because the gu- Arrancar, happened to be- mentally she gave herself a forceful shake. She was so not going to think he was cute...or anyway good-looking.

Even if in unguarded moments, she had.

"Where do you think you are going, woman?" Ever so infuriatingly calm, he advanced, hands sliding into pockets. He had a point, she saw with sudden clarity, he was in front of the door.

Quickly she tried to think of what her favorite Shojo heroine, _Hitomi_ would do.

"S-Stay back!" Her voice trembled much like the shojo heroine's. "I never pegged you to be this kind of man, Ulquiorra!"

He tilted his raven head a little quizzically at her, the faintest of curls on his mouth. "Woman...your babble is meaningless. Now succumb to me." He might've actually said: _Surrender your neck to me_. That part is debatable.

She had to admit, a tiny thrill ran down her spine. _Oh! It was just like that scene in chapter 14...! _ Flushing from the comparison, Rukia's body went on auto-pilot when his twitching hands reached for her neck.

Bringing up her fist and knee, she punched him in the chest and delivered a swift _supposedly_ ball-breaking kick to below the waist.

Like all men, and as she had witnessed with Stark and Lilinette...the spot was no less delicate than a human male's. There was a popping sound, a quiet gasp and emerald green eyes rolled back in their sockets, his body curving gracefully down in a suspiciously fetal-like posture.

Rukia blinked, glancing from her still clenched fists to the silent if not immobilized Arrancar lying on the floor. "Oops. Guess...I don't know my own strength." And as she pondered her fists, wondering just why she had never thought to use such moves on Ichigo when silence was particularly welcomed and he just wouldn't shut the hell up-

The door flew off its hinges.

Stark halfway entered, coming to a dead stop and midsentence when he caught sight of the prone Cuatro on the floor. "Oh..." he scratched at the side of his head. "Guess you could've handled it.."

Awkwardly, Arrancar and Soul Reaper stared at one another; in each other's mind, two dissimilar thoughts loomed.

'Did he...come to get me?' In Rukia's mind with a slight pink tinge.

And in Stark's. 'I'm wasting nap time here.'

It must be said, that when Rukia picked her way across the Cuatro's fetish-filled room, there was a slight blush adorning her cheeks- one she refused to think of as in any way connected to the slouching Primera in the doorway. But, deep in her heart, some part of her had connected to the lazy bum of an Arrancar, even if she didn't know it yet.

Well. That is until-

Stark laid his arm around her shoulders, stifling a yawn with his other hand.

"Let's go back to _my_ room."

Not- _Let's go home_.

Her fist flew into his gut moments later, "you baka!"

A quiet, "ouch." Followed as the mismatched pair left the palace of the Cuatro Espada.

-TBC

AN: sorry it's so short. -.-)

No flames!

Reviews appreciated :)


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